Archive of Elmurad Kasym

Elmurad Kasym holds a master's degree in International Security from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. Kasym comments on Central Asia affairs and is currently based in Moscow.

Elmurad has written 4 articles at Registan.


Tales from the Mahallas of Osh

by Elmurad Kasym
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In a groundbreaking new book, an anthropologist explores the lives of the Uzbeks of southern Kyrgyzstan – a community caught between a rock and a harsh place. (Originally posted on TOL.) Under Solomon’s Throne: Uzbek Visions of Renewal in Osh, by Morgan Y. Liu. University of Pittsburgh Press, 2012. 296 pages. A city sitting on [...]

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Uzbek theater in Osh opens a new season

by Elmurad Kasym

The Babur Uzbek Academic Theater in Osh launched its 94th season early November. The administration and troupe are planning to stage several pieces known (probably only) in Central Asia. This is the first time the Babur Theater is opening its doors for theatergoers in three years following the violent ethnic clashes in June 2010 in [...]

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Russia’s Putin eyeing military dominance in Central Asia amid water quarrels

by Elmurad Kasym

Water wars Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are landlocked and mountainous countries—75% and 90%, respectively—in Central Asia. The countries’ mountains provide abundance of potable water, which feed the two major rivers of Central Asia.  The scarcity of other natural resources understandably results in Bishkek’s and Dushanbe’s attempts to use the water more wisely—building hydropower plants (HPP) for [...]

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Removing Uzbek from Public Life

by Elmurad Kasym

“Хуш келибсизлар” and “Кош келипсиздер” look very similar. For an uninformed foreigner, it might even suggest that one is a misspelling of the other. The foreigner would be very close to reality—both phrases equally extend a welcome. However, there is no misspelling here with the former formulation being Uzbek and the latter—Kyrgyz. The two ways [...]

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